Ratchet screw-driver.



PATENTED DEC. 10, 1 907. B. F. FOSS.

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RATGHET SCREW-DRIVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10,1907.

Application filed September 17. 1906. Serial No. 334,870.

. To all whom it may concern:

' is to be applied to the screw or other article to be started.

According to my invention I provide a lever which is pivoted to a sleeve mounted between the handle and the ratchet mechanism, which lever may be normally locked in engagement with the handle so that the tool may be used as an ordinary ratchet screw driver but when it is desired to use an extra amount of force, the lever may be unlocked and used to turn the spindle with a ratchet motion.

I illustrate my invention by means of the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1is a part central section and part elevation of a screw driver embodying my invention. Fig. 2- is an elevation of a portion of the device with the adjusting ring in section.' Fig. 3- is ahorizontal section on Y Y of Fig. 2. Fig. 4- is a vertical section through the adjusting ring. Fig. 5- is a sectionon Z Z of Fig. 2, and Fig.-6 is a section on X X of Fig. 1. 1

In the drawing A represents the spindle which may terminate in a screw driver blade as shown or in the jaws of a wrench or otherwise as desired. The spindle is journaled in the'handle E and is secured in place by a screw g. The ratchet member is fixed to'the spindle and between it and the handle is provided a loose sleeve to which the operating lever is pivoted.

As here shown, I secure to the spindle an annular ratchet member A having ratchet teeth on its under side and two pawl bolts 1) b contained in suitable recesses in the end of the sleeve B engage the ratchet teeth. These pawl bolts are each formed to stop the ratchet from revolving in one direction, and each has a spiral s ring I) which tends to force it outward. v ach pawl bolt is retracted by an offset b which extends out through 'a slot 5 formed in the sleeve, and these projections are engaged by cam slots 0 orithe operating ring 0 which surrounds the sleeve (Figs. 4 & 5.) These cam slots are on op 0- site sides of the ring and are so formed t at when the ring is in a central position both pawls will be locked or' engaged so that the spindle will not turn in either direction, and when it is turned in either direction, one or the other pawl will be withdrawn leaving the opposite pawl engaged. Outside of the operating ring 0 and secured to it there is an annular thumb piece 0 corrugated to insure a hold.

A ring b is slip ed on over the end of the sleeve and secured thereto with a screw and this ring abuts against the end of the operating ring 0 to hold the same in place at one end. A shoulder formed on the sleeve B holds the ring 0 in the other direction so that it has no longitudinal motion. The sleeve B which fits loosely over the spindle between the handle and the fixed ratchet member a has a rearward extending ferrule 11 to which is pivoted the operating lever D and fitting inside of'the ferrule b is a ferrule e which covers the end of the handle E.

Means are provided by which the lever D may be locked in engagement with the han dle E so that the sleeve B will be held from turning on the ferrule e. For this purpose I form a longitudinal groove in the outer surface of the handle and into this groove the lever fits when it is turned down against the handle. Means are shown for locking the lever in its closed position when not in use. For this purpose I provide a spring locking bolt f at the end of the groove, the end of the bolt engaging a notch in the end of the lever. As iral spring f tends to force the bolt out and a thumb piece f is provided to retract it and release the lever. A spring din the bottom of the groove serves to start the lever out-of the groove so that it can be grasped by the hand. It will thusbe seen that when the lever is turned down and locked in the groove, the sleeve B and the handle are locked together and become ractically one member so that with the rate et mechanism it makes an ordinary ratchet screw driver. When however, the lever is unlocked and brought to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the sleeve B is free to turn freely onthe spindle and the ferrule e and the handle may be held in a fixed position and the spindle turned with a ratchet motion by reciprocating the lever. The tool may thus in ordinary ratchet screw driver or a plain screw driver and when an extra force is to be applied the lever may be disengaged and used to provide a purchase.

I claim:

In a ratchet screw driver, the combination of a spindle, a ratchet member on said spindle, a handle through which the s )indle passes and to which it is journaled, a ferrule on said handle provided with an annular exterior shouldered portion intermediate its ends, a sleeve provided With an interior annular ofl'set bearing surface, said sleeve fit- Work be used as a ting over the ferrule to rotate thereon with the inner end of the sleeve bearing against 16 the shouldered portion of the ferrule and with the annular ol'l'sct bearing surface of the sleeve engaging one end of the ferrule and the handle, pawls mounted in the sleeve to engage the ratchet member, and a lever pivoted 20 to said sleeve.

BENJAMIN F. FOSS.

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A. A. MERRILL, V. \V. MrnmILL. 

